WWE NXT Arrival
March 6, 2014
Full Sail University
Commentators: Tom Phillips, William Regal, Byron Saxton
Recap by: Jason Namako of Wrestleview.com
We see video highlighting the big NXT Arrival show last week, featuring Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn, Emma vs. Paige for the NXT Women’s Title & Adrian Neville vs. Bo Dallas for the NXT Title in a Ladder Match.
We then hear comments from John Cena after NXT Arrival went off the air. Cena says that Neville calls himself the man that gravity forgot. After tonight, these people know your name, the WWE Universe knows your name and I certainly know your name. Congrats on your title win and I look forward to seeing you in action against me very soon.
We go to the new intro video and theme for NXT to open the show. Tom Phillips welcomes us to the show and we go to the opening match.
Non-Title Match: NXT Champion “The Man That Gravity Forgot” Adrian Neville vs. Camacho
Neville looks for a handshake as the bell sounds, but Camacho talks trash to him instead. Camacho with a gut kick. Neville with a backflip off the ropes to avoid Camacho, then hits a crossbody & an armdrag into an armbar. Camacho gets out with a forearm. Gut shot in the corner, followed by a series of left and right-handed chops. Camacho has words with the ref, then hits a powerslam on Neville for a nearfall. Neville fights back with a chop and a series of kicks to the leg, but Camacho yells at Neville to “bring it.” Camacho shoves Neville into the ropes, but Neville responds with 2 flying forearms. Spinning back kick to the ribs, followed by a running dropkick to the side of the head. Neville goes to the middle rope and hits a missile dropkick.
Neville heads up top, Red Arrow for the win.
Winner: NXT Champion “The Man That Gravity Forgot” Adrian Neville by pinfall (Red Arrow)
Neville celebrates his win afterward, then Renee Young is in the ring to interview the new champ. Renee asks what winning the NXT Title was like. Neville says winning the title was indescribable. I’ve been traveling the world for 10 years, doing what I love. Last week was something else, last week was a pivotal moment in my career and was the most amazing night of my life. However, the most important thing about last week was this title now on my shoulder. This was validation, this was a message to everyone and anyone and that message is that anything is possible. Take one look at me, just one look. I’m not your prototypical champion. I’m not the biggest guy, I look like some crazy elf man, I’m from a small town in the Northeast of England that no one has ever heard of and the accent, the ACCENT! Be honest, can you even understand what I am saying? Its a struggle, right? Sometimes, I even struggle to understand myself. You can question how I talk, you can question how I look, but one thing you cannot question is what I do in this ring. This title right here, the NXT Title, this is proof that I am the very best in this ring. Actually, the best thing about last week is that there is “NO MORE BO!” Neville leads the crowd in a “No More Bo” chant.
The music of Bo Dallas hits and he makes his way to the ring. Bo has a mic and says that he has thinking about the match Neville last week all this past week and I have only one thing to say to you, congratulations. You have done something that no other man could do, you defeated me. And I’ve always taught my “Bo-lievers” to be good sports, but, you didn’t pin me. You climbed up a ladder like a dad cleaning out his gutters. And I hope you have taken plenty of photos with that title and send them back home to your friends and family in England because I am cashing in my rematch clause……….soon. And I’m bringing that title home for all of my “Bo-lievers.” Hey Neville, its Bo-time!
THOUGHTS: Fine showcase of a match. Camacho looked good in the small stuff he was given. even busting out a sweet powerslam. Liked Neville’s promo. Most personality he has shown yet by making fun of his obvious shortcomings, while still saying he is the best. However, holy random crowd shots, WWE, during the promo! Jeez! Simple promo from Bo, continue to love the delusional character he portrays. Cracked me up with Bo wearing earrings, or “Bo-rings.” Good stuff.
Backstage after last week’s NXT Arrival, Renee Young interviews Emma about her loss to Paige. Emma says its a little disappointing. Turns out Paige is tougher than anyone Renee has ever faced, anyone I’ve ever faced, Paige deserves to be the champion. Tonight, I earned her respect at least. I guess we’re friends after all. So, I can move on because I know, I’ll be a champion one day in the WWE, the Emmalution. All of a sudden, Ric Flair walks in and greets Emma. Flair says that Emma had a great match and fought as if she were the champion. But, as you look down the road of the future, you and Paige are gonna have to understand that the NXT Women’s Champion is gonna be my lovely daughter, Charlotte. Charlotte walks in and says she is so sorry to Emma. She hates losing, you must be devestated and to lose twice. You have my number, though, right? Call me if you need a shoulder to cry on, if you wanna have a girl’s lunch, I’m here for you if you need me. Emma stares into space, then does her hand motion to Charlotte before walking off. Flair says that Charlotte cracked her, once you get them in the head, they are finished. WOOO!!!
THOUGHTS: Charlotte for the first time came off very comfortable with her promo, she is improving on that end. And Emma was………….Emma, which is something that is ALWAYS entertaining. Also loved Ric Flair totally reverting back to his heel persona in that promotion in Orlando a few years back. Cool with me.
Commercial
Backstage after last week’s NXT Arrival, Renee Young interviews NXT Women’s Champion Paige about her title retention over Emma. Paige says there has no doubt in my mind that I was gonna win, but Emma gave me one helluva fight. Not only do I respect her now, but I can actually call her my friend. But after her, I would like to welcome all challengers, very easy now. All of a sudden, Ric Flair walks in and says to Paige that is good news. You have come light years and are actually in my estimation, which is big in this business, awesome. Paige thanks Flair, but Flair says he is glad Paige didn’t throw the word “rematch” out there because you have someone to look forward to in the very near future and that is my daughter, Charlotte. Charlotte walks in, clapping her hands and says congrats to Paige. You truely are the “Diva of Tomorrow.” But, I’m Charlotte. Paige says she knows who Charlotte is, but Charlotte says that Paige has no clue who I am. So, let me officially introduce myself. I am the Diva that’s gonna take that Women’s Title from you.
THOUGHTS: Paige’s stuff was fine here, but YIKES, not a good second promo from Charlotte. Totally came across as being from the Randy Orton school of boring, monotonous promos.
Renee Young joins commentary for our match.
Emma vs. Charlotte w/”The Boss” Sasha Banks & Summer Rae (ON A STICK!!)
Charlotte comes out to new music. Crowd chants for Emma as the bell sounds. Charlotte backs Emma into the corner and piefaces her. Emma avoids a clothesline in the corner. Charlotte works over Emma’s arm, but Emma reverses out. Charlotte gets out and applies a front chancery. Emma goes back to the arm, then keeps control when Charlotte tries to take her down. O’Connor Roll for a nearfall. Charlotte with a knee to the ribs, but runs into a boot. Emma with a running roll-up for a nearfall. Charlotte goes up & over Emma, but lands awkwardly on her leg and goes down to the mat in a heap, grabbing at her ankle. Emma gains a nearfall. Ref goes to check on Charlotte as Sasha goes to the apron to ask if she is OK. Emma is distracted by this, allowing Charlotte to magically do a front kip-up!
Charlotte then hits the distracted Emma with her basement somersault Ace Crusher for the upset win.
Winner: Charlotte by pinfall (Basement Somersault Ace Crusher)
Charlotte mocks Emma’s dance afterward and celebrates her win with Sasha.
THOUGHTS: Very simple match between Emma & Charlotte. Most smooth Charlotte has looked in the ring to date. The feigning injury deal into Charlotte’s basement somersault Ace Crusher was a pretty swank finish. Also, SUMMER RAE ON A STICK popped me huge. Nice to see NXT trainer Sara Del Rey go back to her SHIMMER roots with that idea.
Backstage after last week’s NXT Arrival, Renee Young interviews Sami Zayn after his loss to Cesaro. Zayn says he has a pretty wide range of emotions. Renee asks about the exchange Zayn had with Cesaro after the match. Zayn says its kind of personal that is between Cesaro & myself, all I can say is I got what I wanted out of that match.
We see Corey Graves getting ready for his match………….NEXT!!
Commercial
Before the next match, Corey Graves has a mic. Graves says he has something that he needs to get off his chest. In the event that this is the first time you are watching NXT on the WWE Network, allow me to introduce myself. They call me Graves. Now I wouldn’t have to introduce myself if I wasn’t invited to compete at NXT Arrival like I should have been. Instead, I am forced to compete against a guy who still thinks he can be a WWE Superstar. But more importantly than that, there is something else that has been bothering me. Something that has been sticking in my brain and eating me alive. That one thing is Sami Zayn. All I’ve heard about is Sami Zayn and his “rematch of the year” with Cesaro. Let me ask you a question. When’s the last time Sami Zayn actually won a match? I know he has been injured for awhile, but apparently, all you need is heart to get chance, after chance, after chance, against a guy you can’t beat. But the fact is, I only need one shot, I would need only one chance and I would beat Cesaro. But instead, I’m here with Yoshi Tatsu, who hasn’t been relevant since………..since…………..well, ever. You know what? Let’s just get this over with.
THOUGHTS: OK promo from Corey “I’m trying to be like CM Punk now that he walked out on WWE” Graves.
Yoshi Tatsu vs. “The Savior of Misbehavior” Corey Graves
Graves comes out to new music. Graves rolls to the outside, grabs a mic and says “forget this.” Ref begins his count as Graves begins to walk up the ramp. Yoshi goes out after Graves, but Graves nails him with a clothesline. Graves sends Yoshi into the steps, gets back in the ring and tells the ref to count. Ref begins his count on Yoshi.
Yoshi tries to get back in, but is unable to do so and is counted out.
Winner: “The Savior of Misbehavior” Corey Graves by count-out
Graves attacks Yoshi afterwards and sends him back in the ring. Graves stomps away at Yoshi and locks in Lucky 13. Sami Zayn’s music hits and he runs out to make the save, sending Graves fleeing from the ring. Zayn checks on Yoshi, then grabs a mic and says that he didn’t know he had a problem with Graves, but apparently, we do. You wanna talk about opportunities? All you had to do was ask. We don’t have to wait, we can do it right here, tonight! Graves shrugs in approval, accepting Zayn’s challenge as he heads to the back.
THOUGHTS: Nothing really to the Graves/Tatsu match. Placesetter to begin Graves’s feud with Sami Zayn. For being that, it was fine.
We go to video from the night prior as Devin Taylor takes us inside the launch party of Adam Rose. We see a DJ playing and a bunch of people dancing in wacky outfits. We then see Adam Rose as Devin walks up to him. Rose motions to a masked guy doing a bunch of tricks with a big stick. Rose says he can’t do that, but if he tried, he probably could. Devin says everyone is excited for Rose’s in-ring debut. Rose says that everything you know is about to change because Adam Rose is finally coming. This is gonna be epic, this is gonna be of jurassic proportions. Devin goes to ask another question, but Rose says she is being boring, let’s dance, this is my song! Everyone starts dancing as Devin sounds off by saying “choo-choo!”
Adam Rose’s in-ring debut…………….is NEXT!!!
THOUGHTS: I…………I……………don’t know what I just watched with this Adam Rose deal. However I must say, that dancing masked guy and the DJ SURE looked familiar.
Commercial
We see video from NXT Arrival last week when Alexander Rusev interrupted a match between Xavier Woods & Tyler Breeze, laying out both guys.
We go backstage from NXT Arrival last week as Renee Young interviews Xavier Woods. Woods says he feels like he has been kicked in by a monster. Rusev, apparently you have a problem with me, you Ivan Drago-looking piece of garbage. You might as well call me Creed, expect the difference is, I don’t lose at the end of this movie. Next time we are here, one-on-one, you vs. me.
Renee Young then interviews Alexander Rusev & Lana and relays Woods’s challenge to Rusev. Rusev calls in his native Bulgarian language. Lana translates that Rusev accepts Woods’ challenge.
Next week, its Alexander Rusev vs. Xavier Woods.
THOUGHTS: Xavier Woods being serious for the first time in well……………..EVER!! Really liked his promo challenging Rusev. And Lana is totally turning into female Armando Estrada. She has done a great job in this role with Rusev.
We go to a bunch of people dancing on the rampway to some funky music as its time for the in-ring debut of Adam Rose. The throng of people dance out to ringside with Rose, then he leaps off the apron and they crowd-surf him back into the ring.
THOUGHTS: WTF AM I WATCHING???
Adam Rose vs. Wesley Blake
“That was awesome” chants by the crowd for Rose’s entrance before the bell. Tensai joins commentary for this match. Blake works over Rose’s arm early. Rose rolls through, then does a series of forward rolls to evade Blake. Blake misses a right hand and Rose with a chop. Rose backs into the ropes, then uses his feet to keep Blake at bay. Rose gets double boots up into Blake’s chest, shoulder tackle for a nearfall. Armdrag into an armbar. Blake backs Rose into the corner and hits a right hand. Rose yells “you want to fight, huh?”, then charges and double-legs Blake down. Series of elbows to the head and knees to the ribs by Rose. Rose with a short-arm into a spinebuster.
Rose fires up in the corner, does a “choo-choo” motion, then takes Blake’s head off with a lariat for the win.
Winner: Adam Rose by pinfall (Lariat)
Rose prances around in celebration of his win. Rose backs up the ramp as all the party-goers are back on the ramp, waiting for Rose as they all go backstage.
THOUGHTS: HOLY COW what an awesome debut for the Adam Rose character. HEAPING LOADS of potential for this deal. From the entrance to the music to the crowd-surfing to the prancing to saying “Choo-Choo” before his lariat finish, the whole debut was incredible. Go watch this.
NXT GM JBL has made Sami Zayn vs. Corey Graves for our main event, which is………………NEXT!!
Commercial
Main Event in a Special Challenge Match: “The Savior of Misbehavior” Corey Graves vs. Sami Zayn
Crowd chants for Zayn as the bell sounds. Graves with a gut kick and an elbow to the back of the head. Series of strikes in the corner, but Zayn comes back with a big chop. Graves with a back kick and a right hand. Zayn sent off the turnbuckles. Back elbow for a 1 count. Big chop by Graves, but Zayn with some of his own. Graves with another gut kick, side headlock applied. Graves with a headlock takeover and gets a 1 count. Zayn tries to get free, but to no avail. Graves with a shoulder tackle, Zayn with a leapfrog, then hits his trifecta of armdrags, sending Graves to the outside. Zayn with a head of steam, but Graves gets out of dodge, allowing Zayn to back handspring to fake Graves out. “OLE” chants for Zayn. Ref keeps Zayn from Graves, allowing Graves to hot-shot Zayn across the top rope. Graves with a series of knee strikes and gains a nearfall. Gourdbuster for a nearfall.
Commercial
Back from commercial as Graves has Zayn in a Gator hold. Crowd wills on Zayn. Graves with a knee to the ribs, sending Zayn to the corner. Gut shots by Graves, followed by a right hand. Zayn fights back, but Graves stomps away at Zayn in the corner, then chokes him with his boot. Graves with a grounded Dragon Screw to Zayn for a nearfall. Gator hold re-applied. Crowd again wills on Zayn. Zayn gets to his feet, but Graves with a back suplex for a nearfall. Graves rakes his foot across Zayn’s face, fist drop for a nearfall. Gator hold re-applied. Zayn fights out, then hits a clothesline. Another clothesline, then Zayn with a back body drop. Zayn fires up, then charges, but Graves catches him with an overhead backbreaker for a nearfall. Graves complains to the ref about his count. Graves runs into a back elbow, then Zayn goes to the middle rope and kicks Graves off. Zayn springs to the top, crossbody for a nearfall. Zayn with another charge, but Graves catches him with a big forearm. Zayn kicks Graves off when he tries for Lucky 13, Blue Thunder Bomb for a nearfall. Both men charge at the same time, but Graves nails Zayn with the front chopblock. Graves again tries for Lucky 13, but Zayn counters with an inside cradle for a nearfall. Zayn tries for the knucklelock into the Tornado DDT, but Graves blocks it.
Graves goes for another overhead backbreaker, but Zayn counters it with another inside cradle for the win.
Winner: Sami Zayn by pinfall (Inside Cradle)
Zayn celebrates his win while Graves is fuming in the ring as we close the show.
THOUGHTS: Good, solid main event and a nice appetizer for what we are gonna see with this Graves vs. Zayn feud. Zayn’s selling here did a great job at making Graves’s offense look interesting for the first time in well…………..ever. Graves was perfectly fine here on control and the flash pin didn’t hurt no one and was a perfect “first match in feud” kinda finish.
Nice way for NXT to start off with the one-hour shows on the Network. Got some good stuff with the new champ, some freshness to the Women’s Division, a great debut and a good jumpstart to a new feud in the mid-card. What more could you ask for with this episode? Looking forward to next week.